Chipmunk's Solo AT Thru Hike UpdateDay 179 on the Appalachian Trail Miles Hiked to Date: 1917 Hiked yesterday: 7 Trail Miles, Miles left to hike: 267

First, Maine is holding true to what everyone had warned us about: Cell phone reception is little to none and WIFI is tough to find. So, that being said, please be patient if Chipmunk's hike update is not posted as regularly as it has been or if we miss a day. To Editor and Brother Chip, will one of you please call Grammy and let her know the situation and tell her we're fine; that we'll be in touch as soon as we have reception again.

Second, I'm still working on plans for my weight loss/get healthy adventure ahead and I'm so encouraged by how many of you want to join me for this. Once Chipmunk finishes her hike, we return home and get settled, we'll all get started.

We awoke early and started our usual routine for the day. After the early morning phone call from Chipmunk, we were eager to get to the local McDonald's and pull up her SPOT page on the laptop. By 8 AM, we were parked in our usual spot in McDee's lot, and we were seated at our usual table. We opened the laptop to her SPOT tracking page and we could see that she was already moving. I posted the daily blog update and we checked back on the tracking page regularly. I was relieved to see when she was clearly out of the Mahoosuc Arm section. She would still have Old Speck Mountain to climb but according to other hikers, if she made it through the notch OK, she wasn't likely to have a problem on Old Speck Mountain. I wish I could say I wasn't worried, but I was. It's a shame I gave up on dying my hair so many years ago ... the grays are really obvious now!

We went out to the truck camper to walk Chocolate Chip and ran into a few hiker friends: Teen Wolf and Jolly Green Giant. Before we left them, Jolly Green Giant realized he'd never signed the camper so we gave him the chunky black Sharpie marker and he, too, added his name to the mobile trail registry.

He told us that K Bizzie was in town along with Dutch; that they'd ZERO'd in a local hotel. He offered to tell us where so we could all catch up with one another but I declined, figuring they might not want to hang out with a hiker mom and dad during their down time. I told them to give 'em our best.

We got back on Wifi to check Chipmunk's location and at first, I was a bit startled to see that her SPOT GPS tracker put her IN SPECK POND! I spun the computer to Papa Chip and raised an eyebrow. He looked at it and said, "Maybe she needed a shower?" Hmm. Then, he said, "Remember, the GPS is not exact but it's pretty close." The trail did follow pretty closely along the pond's border. Needless to say, I was relieved to see when the GPS showed her on terra firma again! We hung out and watched the screen until it looked like she was within an hour of arriving at Grafton Notch, our pick up point.

We set out and drove to Grafton Notch. When we pulled into the trailhead parking area, within minutes, 2 hikers we knew emerged from the woods: Miller (with the very serious hiker beard) and Pound Puppy. They said hello and told us that Chipmunk was not far behind. We thanked them for the update and gave them each a root beer.

The next hiker to emerge from the trailhead was Beeline. We welcomed him with a root beer, too. He sat down on the pavement, took a few sips of the cold soda and then stretched out on the warm blacktop. He fell asleep within minutes. Hiking the Whites and Mahoosuc Notch & Arm has taken a lot out of the hikers.

About 20 minutes later, we heard Chipmunk call from the trail and Chocolate Chip perked up. She ran the wrong direction and we had to re-direct her to the trail where Chipmunk emerged from minutes later. She was smiling and said she was glad to see us.

I noticed that she had a bandana tied around her knee and asked about it. She said her right knee was definitely sore and that the bandana helped. The other hikers joined in our conversation and noted that their knees have also taken a beating in the last few weeks on the trail. We've been so fortunate that Chipmunk has come this far without a major injury; an injury that takes her off the trail for more than a few days.

Chipmunk showed me this picture she took just before finishing her day's hike. It's a sign for the "Eyebrow Trail" and of course, she had to take a pic showing her eyebrows raised.

While we talked, Whisper arrived at the trailhead. She asked what we were doing for the evening and we told her that Chipmunk had some Chipmunk bucks to spend and she wanted Pizza. Ron, from Gorham, had recommended Pat's Pizza in Bethel, NH and we told her we were heading there.

She and the other hikers debated their plan and told us to go on with our evening; that they might see us there. Chipmunk paused a moment in front of Old Speck Mountain and said, "I hiked that", before we piled into the truck.

We drove to Pat's pizza and Chipmunk talked about her previous days' hiking for a short time before moving onto other subjects. It was obvious that she didn't really feel like talking trail.

We stopped at Pat's pizza and she was eager to get on wifi. While we ate and trolled our phones for messages, updates, etc., Whisper and the other hikers arrived. They took a table near ours and soon had their heads down, scanning their phones, too. Ahh, 'tis the life of a hiker when they get "town time".

After dinner, we drove back to the trailhead, parked next to Whisper and climbed into our bunks for the night. It was soooo good to have our daughter back with us. We said our "I love you's" and "Good Nights" and turned out the lights. My body was finally relaxed. I actually ran my hand over my forehead to be sure my brow was not stuck in the "worried" mode. It wasn't. I fell asleep easily and slept well.

If you enjoy reading the story of our adventure, and you’d like to send some “Trail Magic” to Chipmunk, click on the “Donate” button at the upper right corner of today’s blog post. Chipmunk maintains a twitter account: @openlymtngoat where a common hashtag is #GoChipmunk . She (or we) will try to answer any questions you may have about her hike and this family adventure.

Thanks again for all your support,Mama Chip, Papa Chip, Chipmunk and her dog, Chocolate Chip(Tammy, Jay, Neva and Coco)

Chipmunk's Solo AT Thru Hike UpdateDay 178 on the Appalachian Trail Miles Hiked to Date: 1910 Hiked yesterday: 8 Trail Miles, Miles left to hike: 274First, to Star C., thanks for your generous donation. When I told Chipmunk, she said, "Ahh, Miss Star! Tell her I said Hi and that she was the funnest teacher I ever had (and no offense to mom)".

Second, to Rosie S., thanks for understanding and supporting us in this adventure. I so admire that you initially found us after reading all the negative filled blogs about us ... and then thought for yourself, instead of jumping on the "mommy blogger" bandwagon. Thank you, Thank you for coming along for the ride (er ... hike) with us!

We got up at a leisurely 7:30 AM and secured everything in the camper. We climbed out the back door and said hello to our neighbor, Whisper. She was camped next to us and asked if we were headed to the McDonald's in town; we told her we were and she said she'd see us there. We all met up at the same table; I opened the laptop and saw that Chipmunk got on the trail by 8 AM. I snapped a pic of our table and noted to Papa Chip and Whisper that we were "officially old", sitting at the McDonald's and drinking coffee while we do crossword puzzles and word jumbles. We laughed about it and then Papa Chip said, "Do you think that will ever be us?" Whisper laughed out loud and said, "It already is us!" Thankfully, the "passing the time" activities we do while we wait to meet up with hikers, is temporary.

While I was online, I scrolled over something on my desktop screen and this box popped up. Apparently, I have a TIME MACHINE! I had no idea. I sat and pondered what I'd do if I really did have a Time Machine. I often joke that Chipmunk is who I want to be when I grow up so I suppose I'd consider going back to childhood and trying all the cool stuff she has done.

I remember being a bit scared to do some things when I was a kid. After a close call health wise when Chipmunk was a toddler, I vowed to say "yes" to more fun stuff; to overcome my fears and get that "butterflies in my belly" feeling more often. In 2011, I got the opportunity to go on the BIGGEST WATER SLIDE ever at Ohio Dreams Extreme Sports Camp. Although it was scary, it was soooooo fun! If you want to see 200+ lbs of belly butterflies and quivering fear fly through the air, check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HvZ7IT-0T8 Until there really is a time machine, I'm going to keep saying yes to exciting opportunities to feel alive!

We knew Chipmunk had a long hiking day ahead as she went through the Mahoosuc Notch and watching her location "Bread Crumbs" on the SPOT GPS page proved more stressful than helpful. We decided to take a ride in the beautiful sunny weather. We stumbled upon another GIANT chair along the way and had to stop for a pic. I think standing next to these chairs makes me feel "petite". Perspective is everything, eh?

While we were out, we stopped at the local post office and found out there were no packages for us. We also stopped at the laundromat and caught up on laundry. We drove to a local thrift store and I found a few inexpensive items like an extra blanket for the camper for only $1.00 ... and it was free of stains, rips, etc. Sweet! Doing all of this did keep me distracted for a while. Eventually, we drove to the library and went online to check Chipmunk's progress. It was 5:30 in the evening and we could see that she was practically through the Mahoosuc Notch.

We were somewhat relieved. We've heard of quite a few injuries on the trail lately. A few days ago, a section hiker was hiking near Chipmunk, Uke and Siren and fell about 15 feet. He broke his glasses and got a bit banged up but luckily, didn't break any bones. Before that, we heard about another section hiker who fell a substantial distance on Mount Madison and broke both legs and one arm. Little Bear's hiking dog, "Riner", also got hurt recently as he and his fellow hiker came out of the Whites. Riner is currently recovering at a kennel. We have been so fortunate that Chipmunk has remained injury free for the most part.

We drove to our camp spot after the library closed at 6 pm. We fixed and ate dinner. Then, we watched another Redbox movie, "The Avengers". After we received Chipmunk's "check in/ok" message from her SPOT device, I dozed off early. It was comforting to think that she had hiked through the toughest section of the AT with hiking partners and that she reached her camp spot for the night.

When I woke in the morning, I found a text message that Chipmunk must have sent out the day before. Up here, we often receive text messages hours later; sometimes, days later. It was a picture of a particularly tight squeeze along Mahoosuc Notch. If you look closely, you'll see a white blaze on the boulder to the right. Where the daylight passes thru, the hikers must also pass thru. The Mahoosuc Notch requires hikers to remove their packs and negotiate over, under and through a jumble of boulders. According to other hikers, when "Black Squatch" was hiking this area, one of his poles got caught in a tight crevasse. When he leapt ahead to the next boulder while still holding his pole tight in his hand, it pulled a muscle in his shoulder. The resulting injury made it extremely painful to carry his backpack. Other hikers helped get him and his belongings back to town.

A short while later, we heard from Chipmunk. We were shocked to hear that she ended up hiking Mahoosuc Notch totally alone. Although she had spent the night before with other hikers, and she confirmed that one of them planned to hike together with her, she said that he chose to sleep in a while longer. She said she figured he'd catch up to her since she's a slower hiker than he is. She stopped and waited a few times and then decided it was better to tackle the Notch alone than to risk waiting too long and being "caught" in the Notch with nowhere to camp when it got dark. She said the Notch was difficult but also a little fun.

I asked her what time the other hikers showed up at the campsite. She said, "They didn't show up. I hiked Mahoosuc Notch alone, got to the Bull Branch campsite right along the trail and set up camp. When it got dark, I was so tired, I fell right asleep. When I woke in the morning, there was no sign of them. I think I would have woke up if they came through." She sounded pretty good for having done what she'd done on her own. She ended the call by saying she loved us and was looking forward to seeing us at the road crossing.

If you enjoy reading the story of our adventure, and you’d like to send some “Trail Magic” to Chipmunk, click on the “Donate” button at the upper right corner of today’s blog post. Chipmunk maintains a twitter account: @openlymtngoat where a common hashtag is #GoChipmunk . She (or we) will try to answer any questions you may have about her hike and this family adventure.

Thanks again for all your support,Mama Chip, Papa Chip, Chipmunk and her dog, Chocolate Chip(Tammy, Jay, Neva and Coco)

Chipmunk's Solo AT Thru Hike UpdateDay 177 on the Appalachian Trail Miles Hiked to Date: 1902 Hiked yesterday: 10 Trail Miles, Miles left to hike: 281First, to Elizabeth B., thanks for your generous donation of Chipmunk bucks! During this trip, Chipmunk has often opted for pizza or a movie (or both) ... I'll let you know what she decides. Second, to Amy ... Wow! A 3 year old section hiking with her family? Awesome! What a great introduction to outdoor life!

For the last week, we've been coming to the same McDonald's because the Appalachian Trail wraps around the town of Gorham, NH. Because we sit and blog there while we drink coffee each day, we've met people who also gather there daily.

This group of seniors are a lot of fun and we have enjoyed exchanging life stories with them. In the foreground, in the yellow sweater, is Esther. She is married to the gentleman third from the left, wearing the baseball cap. I noticed that her husband repeated the same questions and that she patiently answered them again and again.

One day she asked how Chipmunk was doing and I filled her in on the latest. Neither she nor her friends go online so they exchange info the old fashioned way: in person! Novel, huh? I told her that I was impressed at how well she was handling her husband's condition and she smiled and said, "It's hard. He's 87 and it's gotten much worse this past year."

She spoke of him and to him with such kindness and patience. I know that day to day life must be hard but they are both so fortunate to have a mate that loves them unconditionally. My grandmother survived my grandfather and a few years later was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. When it reached the stage where she required extensive care, she entered a nursing home. I often thought about all the times I saw them take care of one another and how it would have been so much better if she still had my grandfather with her through the illness.

While we were at McDonald's, we received a phone call from Chipmunk. She said she actually slept pretty well, was warm enough and awoke around 6 AM. She said although it was cold, she told herself to get up and get moving. She ate a simple breakfast of a granola bar, not wanting to cook and then clean up again. She deflated her sleep pad, rolled it and stowed it in her backpack. She said she didn't roll her sleeping bag; just stuffed it into her pack. There was a good amount of dew on her tent's rainfly so she shook most of it off before folding it up along with her tent. After she packed most everything up, she did a final look around and then headed back onto the trail by 7:30 AM. Alone, again.

We got her first SPOT GPS Satellite location around 8:05 AM. We stayed at McDonald's longer than we probably should have but it gave us a steady wifi connection and access to coffee while we watched Chipmunk move down the trail towards one of the most difficult sections of the Appalachian Trail: Mahoosuc Notch and Mahoosuc Arm. We were unsure if she'd be tackling those sections on that day or the next day.

While we stared at the screen, a gentleman approached and told us that Esther (pictured above in the yellow sweater) told him about our daughter's adventure. His name is Ron and he thru hiked the AT in 2000, having started on the same day that Chipmunk started, April 1st. As we talked, he told us that after he finished his hike, he heard that a few years later, Earl Shaffer (the first to ever thru hike the AT; who did it to "walk off the war") was hiking the AT for his "golden anniversary" of his original hike. Shaffer was in his 80's during his golden anniversary hike and Ron learned that he was in the NH area that year and decided to hike a few sections of the AT and try to meet up with him. He eventually did and during a conversation with Shaffer, Ron told him that he left from Springer Mountain in Georgia on April 1st for a particular reason. Ron told him that anyone who sets out to hike one of our country's most difficult trails, for over 2,000 miles, must be, at least in part, A FOOL! So, April Fool's Day was the best day to start off on this fool hearted adventure. He said that they both laughed. Ron, I have to agree! But, I'm still so impressed by all the fools who take on this challenge!

We checked the SPOT GPS website throughout the morning and early afternoon. We could tell by her pace that she would not be tackling the Mahoosuc Notch and Arm that day. We had a few errands to run, including a stop at the local Post Office. Although we had chosen a campground mail drop address from the AT Guide and spent one night there recently, we learned that any packages we had sent there were being REJECTED! When we stopped in to inquire about packages and they told us that, we were shocked. We had informed them that we had mail drops coming when we checked in; they never mentioned their "rejection" policy. The front desk person was even a little rude about it, stating, "We aren't a post office. If you're not registered when the package arrives, it's not our problem."

So, we drove to the Gorham, NH post office to see what would happen to our packages. We were informed that if it says "AT Hiker" on it, that they would hold them for up to a month before sending them back. That was a relief to hear since we were expecting a package from Vasque Footwear. Since Chipmunk became a Vasque Ambassador, they were sending her another pair of the boots she loves plus a cool pair of Vasque Rifts for her off trail days. When Chipmunk left home, she was a size 6-6.5. When she rolled her ankles at the very start of the trail, we bought a better pair of boots for her and discovered that she had grown to a size 7. The street shoes we brought along on the trip were 6.5s. Recently, she confessed that she hadn't mentioned it but they were uncomfortably tight. She asked Vasque if she could try out their Rifts and they readily agreed to send her a pair. Thanks, Vasque! Chipmunk can't wait to try them out.

While we were at the Post Office, we ran into Ron, the 2000 thru hiker we'd just met. He was there with his dog, Teddy, and Chocolate Chip was glad to see another 4 legger. They sniffed and played with one another while we talked to Ron. He told us how, for the last 10 years, Teddy has been hiking with him on trails in the NH, ME and VT areas. He told us how Teddy always runs ahead on the trail and checks things out. If he hears Teddy bark, he knows there's either an animal or a person on the trail ahead. He said Teddy has a good instinct about hiking and also makes a nice warm camping partner on his overnight camping trips.

Papa Chip asked if that was the same Teddy that was pictured on the cover of the book on display in the Post Office, Titled, "Trailing Teddy". Ron said it was and asked us if we'd like a copy of the book. We said, "Sure" and then Ron said he'd bring a copy to the McDonald's the next day. He said it would be $15. We told him we'd see him the next day and then Chocolate Chip and Teddy said their good byes before we got in the truck.

We drove towards our camp spot for the night and although neither of us said it aloud, we wondered if Chipmunk was OK. Around 6 in the evening, we received a text message from Chipmunk, saying this was a very foggy view she had early in her hiking day.

We texted back the usual questions: Who are you hiking with? Where are you staying tonight? Are you OK? She replied that she was staying at the Carlo Col Shelter/Campsite and that she caught up to Gilgamesh, Zagat and Books who were also staying there. In fact, after camping alone the night before and hiking alone all day, she was particularly sad. She thought she might be camping alone again and found herself crying out loud when she was about a half mile from the campsite. She said it felt good to "let it all out", figuring she was alone, with only the woodland animals to hear her. She was wrong.

Before she arrived at the campsite, Gilgamesh, Zagat and Books heard her and thought it was an injured moose or something. It scared them a bit and they were relieved when she arrived a bit red eyed, wiping tears from her cheeks when she saw them. Gilgamesh told her how relieved they were to see her and not a wild Moose or Bear. Within minutes they were all joking and laughing and Chipmunk said she felt 100% better. Never underestimate how spending time with friends can help bring you out of a funk!

Chipmunk had passed the Maine/New Hampshire border sign a half mile before reaching the campsite. Gilgamesh asked if she took a picture there and she told them she hadn't. He told her that he was sure her parents would like to see a pic of that so the two of them left their packs at the campsite and hiked back to the sign. Gilgamesh took this pic ... Thanks, Gilgamesh! You're right! Her parents (and our readers) are grateful for this pic, showing that she has about 281 miles in Maine until she reaches Katahdin.

We all said "I love you" and "good nights" before we hung up the phone. I was so relieved to know that she was camping with the other 3 hikers that she knew. I was also glad that she'd have company hiking through the Mahoosuck Notch and Arm the next day. So many hikers have warned me not to let her hike that section alone. Most of the hikers "spot" each other through that section. In fact, we heard that "Black Squatch" hiked it the day before, injured his shoulder badly enough that he couldn't carry his pack. He backtracked to a shelter where he planned to rest for a day and then take a non-AT trail down to a roadway and get into town.

Papa Chip and I cuddled up with the laptop and another Redbox movie ... Argo. We hadn't seen it; was just never available during prior trips to the movie rental kiosk. It was a very well made movie and a great distraction for the night. Towards the end of the movie, it hit me. Wow! Chipmunk is in Maine ... her final state on the AT. We fell asleep and I think we both slept better knowing that Chipmunk was amongst friends, out in the wild.

If you enjoy reading the story of our adventure, and you’d like to send some “Trail Magic” to Chipmunk, click on the “Donate” button at the upper right corner of today’s blog post. Chipmunk maintains a twitter account: @openlymtngoat where a common hashtag is #GoChipmunk . She (or we) will try to answer any questions you may have about her hike and this family adventure.

Thanks again for all your support,Mama Chip, Papa Chip, Chipmunk and her dog, Chocolate Chip(Tammy, Jay, Neva and Coco)

Chipmunk's Solo AT Thru Hike UpdateDay 176 on the Appalachian Trail Miles Hiked to Date: 1892 Hiked yesterday: 7 Trail Miles, Miles left to hike: 291First, To Andrea and Kevin, thanks for following Chipmunk's story! and thanks for the website about healthy, inexpensive foods, www.budgetbytes.com. Very Cool!

Second to Kevin ... YOU'RE RIGHT! Chipmunk NEEDS that bike! She already makes those same sounds when she rides her regular bike, especially downhill!

After a restful night of sleep in the hotel room, we all awoke early ... unable to sleep in after 6 months of waking early. We watched the morning news shows while we slowly packed up our stuff. Chocolate Chip looked reluctant to leave the hotel room but obediently came to the door when Chipmunk told her, "Let's go."

We piled our bags into the camper and suddenly a gust of wind came and whipped the door wide open, slamming it against the back of the camper. Papa Chip grabbed the door and said, "Uh oh." I looked at him and said, "What?" He showed me the keys which he picked up off the ground. I still didn't understand what the "Uh oh" was about. Then he closed the camper door and showed me that the key had broken off in the lock of the camper door. Uh OH! He checked to be sure that we could still lock it from the inside and then said, "Hmm. Good thing we don't own very many things of value. From here forward, Chipmunk's pack AND Chocolate Chip has to get locked in the cab if we are in town. Luckily, it's cool enough weather now that Chocolate Chip won't overheat up front; we'll just have to leave her a blanket on the seat to snuggle in when we grocery shop, etc.

So, to date, the po' white trash truck camper 1) has a dent in the bumper where a stop sign buckled it (after a town strangely posted their stop signs in the median, rather than to the driver's right!), 2) the rooftop air conditioner was sheered off, 3) the heat and a/c still work but the blower doesn't so it warms and cools ... kinda, 4) the passenger side power door lock and door handle occasionally don't open from the inside so I just sit there until Papa Chip goes around, unlocks it with the key and lets me out (Ugh!), 5) the right front side of the camper is patched where a dead tree punctured it during a "lack 'o brakes" incident atop McQueen's Gap 6) the sway bar mounts are broken and the suspension is worn out so it makes a loud clunky noise when it goes around corners, 7) the U-Joints are worn out so it makes a different loud clunky noise when the tranny shifts, and 8) it still leaks over my bunk and the center aisle during heavy rain ... ahh life on the road ... ain't it grand? But, enough about that.

When we arrived at the trailhead, we spotted Whisper. As we all pulled together Chipmunk's pack, Whisper brought Chipmunk a copy of Womens Adventure magazine with the Q&A interview she gave back in May. She took a few minutes to check out the print version and looked pleased as she read it. Thanks, Whisper! Since Whisper's trail injuries have become more than is safe to hike on, she's become our steady companion. She parks near us for camping, she sits at McDonald's and goes on wifi with us and she, too, worries about hikers. It's nice to have an "off trail" friend.

Chipmunk read the entire magazine article and noted that the article referred to her as the "youngest hiker on the AT". She said that she hopes readers understand that she's the youngest "solo" hiker on the AT. As we mentioned before, Buddy Backpacker is 5 years old and the youngest hiker we know of on the Appalachian Trail. There have also been children from 6 years old and up hiking sections and the entire AT with their parents this year and in prior years.

Chipmunk laced up her boots, pulled on her rain pants (for extra warmth initially) and Big Red, her backpack and headed out along the stretch of road she needed to walk before rejoining the AT in the woods. She had pretty good weather and was hoping to meet up with both Uke and Siren on the trail, all of them saying that they planned to "NERO" the day after their trip to the Pizza Hut. We hugged and kissed her good bye, confirming her overnight plan and meet up plan.

As we readied the camper for the road, a vehicle pulled into the trailhead parking area and we discovered they were Chipsters! It was Doug and Diane Albrecht who have been on vacation in the area. Doug and Diane are active members of Hike for Mental Health and Doug hiked with Chipmunk during her time in High Point State Park in NJ. It was great to see them both! They were riding down the road and spotted Chipmunk just as she was rejoining the trail. They stopped for a quick hello and wished her well. (FYI, Doug still doesn't have a trail name! HFMH members ... how do you allow this to continue??? He's a hiker! He needs a trail name!!)

As we talked, the wind kicked up and it was pretty cold. I was admiring the boot foot prints on the back of her van and the famous phrase, "Not All Who Wander are Lost". As we stood in the crisp Autumn air, Diane told me that she's lost 60 lbs. in the last 18 months. Go, Diane!! I asked her if she could lend me any wisdom and she said, "Put down the fork and exercise." She said that she's been reducing portion sizes and walking, hiking, exercising more. Great job, Diane! You are an inspiration to me. I'll add that to all the great advice I've been receiving. Thanks again for stopping in when you saw the Chip Mobile ... and for signing it!

After Doug and Diane got back on the road, Papa Chip and I did the same. We drove into town, connected to Wifi and posted the blog. We also picked up some groceries and eventually made a simple dinner of soup and whole grain bread. After dinner, we decided to get a movie from the Redbox kiosk, in hopes that it would pass the evening hours.

We received Chipmunk's OK message via her SPOT device and it took a little edge off of my worry. We were surprised by a phone call from Chipmunk around 8 at night. We were thrilled that we all had reception and we immediately asked her if she was OK. With a shaky voice, she said, "Yeah." Then we asked who was camping with her, figuring she'd say that Uke and Siren were there. Through tears, she said, "No one. I'm alone." I felt my chest tighten and a lump in my throat form.

I fought back tears, steadied my voice and assured her she would be ok. She said, "I know", but I don't think she fully believed it. She said she chose not to build a fire but instead crawled into her tent and snuggled into her sleeping bag. She said she planned to read her book until she fell asleep. We wanted to talk longer but reminded her that she needed to save her battery in case of an emergency. We all said, "I love you" and "good night" before we hung up the phone.

I laid my head on Papa Chip's chest and let the tears roll down my face. He wrapped his arm around me and said, "She'll be alright. And now we know that she has a cell signal if she needs to call for help." I nodded but I still worried. It was a long night. I dozed a few times but found myself checking our phones often to see if we missed any calls.

It was the first time in her life that she was alone and totally self reliant for a whole night, out in the wild. She didn't call all night long. In the morning light, I thought to myself that I don't know if I could have camped alone in the mountains at the age of 15.

If you enjoy reading the story of our adventure, and you’d like to send some “Trail Magic” to Chipmunk, click on the “Donate” button at the upper right corner of today’s blog post. Chipmunk maintains a twitter account: @openlymtngoat where a common hashtag is #GoChipmunk . She (or we) will try to answer any questions you may have about her hike and this family adventure.

Thanks again for all your support,Mama Chip, Papa Chip, Chipmunk and her dog, Chocolate Chip(Tammy, Jay, Neva and Coco)

Chipmunk's Solo AT Thru Hike UpdateDay 175 on the Appalachian Trail Miles Hiked to Date: 1885 Hiked yesterday: 8 Trail Miles, Miles left to hike: 298First, to Dawn D, Welcome aboard! In response to your question about Chipmunk and school, she has been home schooled for quite a few years and had to double up on her curriculum before the hike and will have to do the same after the hike. In the meantime, we believe the trail is providing her a unique education that can't be duplicated in book form. As for your plantar fasciitis, I, too, have had a round or two of that and it is a long recovery process. I started stretching my feet out (via a towel wrapped around the ball of my foot and pulling toward me) prior to getting up each morning. In a few months, it subsided. I like your attitude and would like to share your quote with our readers: "Just recently, though I decided to make the most of whatever ability I DO have right now, and we took a little walk in the woods. I LOVED being out under the trees again!"

Second, Barbara ... thank you for supporting Chipmunk's desire to alleviate the stigma of mental health issues, especially amongst teens. We really appreciate the times you tweet and re-tweet on behalf of Chipmunk and us. We truly consider you a part of Chipmunk's success!

Third, to Linnell B., Angie H. and the others who have sent me some great websites for recipes and meal plans, thank you! I'm compiling the research and am looking forward to what may well be my toughest challenge yet. Keep 'em coming!

With Chipmunk camping overnight on the trail, I'd like to say that I sleep well ... but I don't. I went to sleep the night before knowing that Chipmunk was camping together with Uke and Siren but I still worried. The temps have been dropping, especially at night, and I know it's chilly inside the camper.

Although we bought her the best gear we could afford, her sleeping bag and tent surely is not as comfortable as her bunk and layered blanketing in the camper. As you can see from the pic at the left, it was 45 degrees around 4 AM.

If you look closely in the upper left hand corner, you'll also see "OFF NETWORK" displayed on my phone screen. I recently received an email from AT&T letting me know that I've wandered too long outside of their standard network. Although I have an unlimited data plan on my phone (the only one in the family), they've decided to restrict my data usage because I've attempted to access data in an area they have fewer towers in. So, even though I have reception bars on and off during the day, they now block me from using data and they randomly block phone calls from coming through. Luckily, Papa Chip hasn't been restricted yet so we were able to get a phone call from our deer friend, Sheena of Canada, who'd been trying to reach us for days via my phone. Ohhhhh, AT&T ... you make me very sad and very mad. I'm beyond questioning my loyalty now.

Now that I'm steamed up about AT&T (AGAIN!), it's time to think cooler thoughts. As you may recall, Chipmunk had a beautiful day when she summited Mount Washington. We had been warned that the weather in the mountains changes rapidly and that hikers need to be prepared. Our thoughts are with all the hikers who have been hiking it over the last few days and will be hiking it as they move towards Katahdin.

The picture at the left is from The Mount Washington Observatory’s Facebook account, which also posted: "Last night, we received our first snowflakes of the season, amounting to just under 1″! In addition, rime ice has been accruing all through the night, and continues to do so at a rate of 2-3″ per hour this morning!" According to the locals, the Mount Washington Auto Road was also closed due to 80 mph winds and the icy conditions. Brrrrrrrr!! We finished our online work at McDonald's and when we saw on the SPOT page that she was closing in on the trailhead, we drove up Route 2 to meet her. We parked and chatted while we waited. Chocolate Chip got impatient and we all got out to walk around while we waited on Chipmunk and her fellow hikers. We didn't have to wait long; I suppose Chipmunk sensed her mom's return.

Chipmunk and her cohorts walked out of the woods around 1pm and announced that they NEEDED to go to Pizza Hut. Knowing Chipmunk's addiction to pizza, I'm sure she asked them to work together with her on this. We threw all their packs into the camper and soon we were on our way to the local Pizza Hut. After we all plugged in electronic devices, surfed the internet and enjoyed their $10 any size/any kind pizza ... we drove Uke and Siren to the local hostel and then we headed to something we haven't done in a very, very long time ... a hotel room. The last time we had a hotel room was early July in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Wow! That seems almost like a lifetime ago.

We checked into the Royalty Inn and the manager kindly gave us a discount which brought out bill just under $100 ... and Chocolate Chip was a registered guest, too! We had a really nice room with 2 queen beds, a nice shower and a flat screen TV. As soon as we got into the room, Chipmunk

After her shower, I gave her some goodies that had come in the mail for her. Our long time BMX friend, Laura P. of Southern Florida, sent Chipmunk a big box of incredible treats! Chipmunk has a bit of a sweet tooth and Laura did her part to make sure she had some sweet trail magic. PLUS, Laura included a really cool lightweight gadget which can re-charge Chipmunk's phone after we charge it with our cigarette lighter. Cool! Chipmunk is going to need that on her upcoming 3 night stay away (UGH! I'm not ready to think about that just yet!)

In addition to Chipmunk's treats, there were doggie treats for Chocolate Chip direct from Laura's dog, Bonnie. Thanks, Bonnie!! Two paws up! We confess that Laura gave us a heads up that there was a Dunkin Donuts gift card in the box ... we untaped the box, got it out (YES! COFFEE IS THAT IMPORTANT!) and re-taped the box closed. Laura ... thanks for remember ALL of us! You are amazing!

Chipmunk opened her next package in what seemed like a mini Christmas. This package contained a Paramount Fit Foods t-shirt from our friends in Damascus, VA who make the best jerky ever! Chipmunk and her hiker friends love the Wild Hunt Packs that Mayor and Spicy Jesus create.

Chipmunk was especially charmed when she flipped the shirt around to the back side and discovered that it had been personalized for her: "Chipmunk Appalachian Trail Class of 2013". VERY COOL!

Again, it's so great to feel cared about out here! Thank you Spicy Jesus and Mayor!

As the night wore on, Chipmunk and Chocolate Chip settled into the big queen sized bed together, taking up only about a third of it. As i looked across from our bed to hers, she looked more like a little girl to me. It's still hard to believe that she's doing what she's doing.

We fell asleep before she did. There was a "Top Gear" marathon on TV and that's her favorite show, at least the BBC version is. When we said our "I love you's" and "good nights", she was still reading fan fiction online, drinking Dr. Pepper and watching TV while Chocolate Chip cuddled with her. It was so very nice to have her back with us in a safe and warm place.

If you enjoy reading the story of our adventure, and you’d like to send some “Trail Magic” to Chipmunk, click on the “Donate” button at the upper right corner of today’s blog post. Chipmunk maintains a twitter account: @openlymtngoat where a common hashtag is #GoChipmunk . She (or we) will try to answer any questions you may have about her hike and this family adventure.

Thanks again for all your support,Mama Chip, Papa Chip, Chipmunk and her dog, Chocolate Chip(Tammy, Jay, Neva and Coco)

Second, I'm still working on ideas on my next adventure: weight loss. I'm looking for ideas on affordable and healthy dishes that use real food, very little processed food. Feel free to email me (eventfultw@yahoo.com) or via comment on this website. Thanks!

Since Chipmunk spent the night at the hut on the mountain, we woke and headed to the local McDonald's for morning blogging and coffee. We were only there a short time when a few hikers we knew but hadn't seen in a while dropped in. From the left is Gilgamesh, Zagat, Hot Spot and Papa Chip.

We sat around talking trail and catching up with one another. Soon, 2 of the hikers took off to take care of town errands and we talked future adventures with Hotspot. He told us about a cool trail in Israel he learned about ... hmm, maybe after the Camino?

Zagat returned to the McD's as we were finishing up our online work. He said he needed Band Aids but wasn't too keen on going all the way to Walmart to get them. I told him I had plenty of them and would gladly give him some. He said he'd buy me a beer if I did ... and that sounded like a bit uneven but perfect trade to me!

Zagat, Gilgamesh, Hot Spot, Papa Chip and I all piled into the Chip Mobile and made our way to Mr. Pizza. There were games on the TVs and it was a fun, casual atmosphere. Zagat checked his Facebook, online stuff, etc. while my small light beer stood by his rather large mug of ale.

While we chatted, checked emails, facebook, etc., we received this pic of Uke. Apparently, Uke had received a block of cheese in a recent mail drop from his mom. He and Chipmunk took a snack break and Chipmunk loaned him her utility knife to cut the cheese. He was very kind and gave her a few chunks of cheese; she returned the favor and gave her one of the Paramount Fit Foods Wild Hunt Packs of Jerky, nuts and fruit. It looks like they picked a pretty nice place ... above the clouds ... to take a little snack break.

While the diligent hikers hiked ... the exhausted ones rehydrated. When Gilgamesh ordered a pitcher of beer, we mistakenly assumed it was for all of us at the table. He soon set the record straight in a way that only Gilgamesh can truly get away with!

It was so very good to see him. When I don't see one of the regulars in a while, I fear they've left the trail. It's heartbreaking for me (and yes I can be a bit goal driven and competitive) when a hiker leaves the trail with only 300 or so miles to go. Recently, Wicked Miner announced on Facebook that he was leaving the trail. He summited Mount Washington, fell in love with it, and hiked down it. A day or so later, Wicked Miner wanted another look around and summited Mount Washington again. This is unheard of amongst thru hikers!

When I told Chipmunk that he summited twice, she asked, "Is he on drugs?" I guess she's feeling the pressure to complete the required miles ahead and can't imagine adding miles to her remaining hike days, just for pleasure. I feel a bit sad that she has reached what some hikers consider the "death march" portion of the trail. They are fatigued, exhausted, broke, tired of hiking and most are propelling themselves forward on will. Chipmunk is not immune to that herself at this point. But, she's still hiking and has yet to say "I want to quit." As for Wicked Miner, there's an active campaign to convince him to return to the trail.

After Zagat, Gilgamesh and Hot Spot finished their beers, we gave them all a ride to the White Mountains hostel, not far from the trailhead they planned to resume the following day. They thanked us and as we headed back to the cab, a rental car pulled into the driveway of the hostel. It was LostNFound and Smiley. I waved to them and she called out to me just as I was getting in the cab. She explained that she needed to return the rental car in the morning, near the Walmart, and wanted to see if we could give her and Smiley a ride back to the trail from there. We confirmed we'd meet up around 9AM, follow them to the rental car return and then drive them back to the trail. With that, we drove back into town for a quiet evening ... alone.

Once it was just the two of us, my mind turned to Chipmunk. I know she made it to the intended campsite for the night and was camping with Uke and Siren, but I still worried about her. I really missed her, too. She and our older daughter, Editor, and our son, Brother Chip ... have always been my very good friends. We truly have a good time most every time we get together. I guess it comes down to some things Papa Chip said to me soon after meeting me. When talking about relationships, he said that he didn't think spouses should have "to work at it"; that they should naturally be friends, who want to hang out together. He said, he couldn't imagine going to work all day, coming home exhausted and then having to work again, at a relationship.

When we talked about having a family and raising kids together, he said he wanted a home that was comfortable and good to return to after we all go to school and work. He wanted home to be the one place where we could all say what we want, be who we are without fear of being judged or harassed. He wanted home to be US ... not the house.

Before we went to sleep for the night, we received this pic from Chipmunk that she had taken earlier in the day. She chose this spot to take a break, have a snack and enjoy the views. I think the world has become her home.

I got to thinking about home and all that it means to me. I've long loved this song by Billy Joel and wanted to share the lyrics with our readers, especially the ones who wonder how in the world we can live in a tiny truck camper for the last 6 months as our daughter "plays in the woods".

You're My Home by Billy Joel

When you look into my eyesAnd you see the crazy gypsy in my soulIt always comes as a surpriseWhen I feel my withered roots begin to growWell I never had a place that I could call my very ownThat's all right, my love, 'cause you're my home

When you touch my weary headAnd you tell me everything will be all rightYou say, "Use my body for your bedAnd my love will keep you warm throughout the night"Well I'll never be a stranger and I'll never be aloneWhenever we're together, that's my home

Home can be the Pennsylvania TurnpikeIndiana's early morning dewHigh up in the hills of CaliforniaHome is just another word for you

Well I never had a place that I could call my very ownThat's all right, my love, 'cause you're my home

If I travel all my lifeAnd I never get to stop and settle downLong as I have you by my sideThere's a roof above and good walls all aroundYou're my castle, you're my cabin and my instant pleasure domeI need you in my house 'cause you're my home.You're my home.You're my home.

I suppose that Papa Chip and I were meant to be together.

If you enjoy reading the story of our adventure, and you’d like to send some “Trail Magic” to Chipmunk, click on the “Donate” button at the upper right corner of today’s blog post. Chipmunk maintains a twitter account: @openlymtngoat where a common hashtag is #GoChipmunk . She (or we) will try to answer any questions you may have about her hike and this family adventure.

Thanks again for all your support,Mama Chip, Papa Chip, Chipmunk and her dog, Chocolate Chip(Tammy, Jay, Neva and Coco)

Chipmunk's Solo AT Thru Hike UpdateDay 173 on the Appalachian Trail Miles Hiked to Date: 1871 Hiked yesterday: 7 Trail Miles, Miles left to hike: 313First, to David V., thanks for your generous donation! Yes, it does seem like the universe is conspiring to connect you to Chipmunk! You met her in Connecticut ... Wow! That seems so very long ago. Thanks for being a part of her success!

Second, I'd like to share a link to a brief video of Chipmunk hiking. Our friend, Uke, took this video while she hiked a rocky section of Wildcat in the White Mountains. Click on this link and it should take you to the video: http://youtu.be/RARiTgYYZQE(if the link doesn't work, copy and paste this address into your browser.)

Third, Hi to Suzy, Tennessee's Mom ... so glad to hear you've been following along on our adventure. Please, please send us an update on Tennessee and send him our best. We haven't seen him since Chipmunk painted his toenails! Also, please send me a summit pic when he gets to Katahdin so I can share it with our readers. Yes, the terrain is rough and the weather is pretty cold right now. We are hoping the forecast holds true and we have a little "Indian Summer" up here.

Fourth, here's a pic of what hikers do when they get bored on the trail! Don't worry, the snake wasn't harmed and Uke set him free where he found him.

And if you are doing something dangerous or unusual ... you can count on it that there's another hiker there to capture it electronically! Ahh ... the modern hiker! Whenever we see hikers at McDonald's or the local library, they all (and we) are either plugged in or looking for a plug to recharge devices.

When Chipmunk got to the trailhead, she got a fit of the giggles when she tried to pose for her morning pic. Apparently, a good night's sleep served her well! It was a very cool but mostly clear morning. She was on the trail by 7:15 AM, saying that she figured Uke or another hiker would soon catch up with her. We hugged and kissed her goodbye, reminding her to text updates and send our her SPOT OK message when she arrives at her intended stay for the night.

Once she was on the trail, we walked towards the Visitors Center. We noticed that Uke was standing near Whisper's vehicle in the parking lot so we joined them. Uke told us how he set up his tent near us overnight but then a security guard woke him at midnight and told him he couldn't tent camp there. He packed everything up and moved into the hiker lounge in the basement of the Visitor Center. It is a lounge built specifically for hikers and is open 24 hours. He told us that once he got his sleeping pad and bag situated, he quickly fell back asleep. Around 3 AM he was roused by the same security guard telling him he couldn't sleep there either. Uke was pretty sick of being woken up and just wanted to get a little rest before hitting the trail. Once he told the security guard that he'd been hiking since early April, all the way from Georgia, the security guard apologized and told him he could stay in the hiker lounge. Poor Uke! Nonetheless, he was packed up and hitting the trail around 8 AM.

Papa Chip and I drove back down the mountain and into the town of Gorham. We stopped at a church yard sale in town and after perusing, one of the parishioners told us there was a fund raising breakfast in the church basement. They were serving fresh blueberry pancakes, hot off the griddle for only $3 a plate! The food was great, the price was right and the church folks were quite kind.

After breakfast, we wandered back to the yard sale and I saw something I missed the first time around: a 12 volt electric blanket! It was new in its original package and only $5.00. I thought it might come in handy to quickly warm up Chipmunk if she comes in from a cold day of hiking. I also bought an 8 track tape of the Beatles Abbey Road album ... and I'm not sure why. I guess it's because my first real car was a '74 Dodge Dart that had an 8 track player ... and some day I hope to get it back. It was, by far, the best car I ever owned! I bought it used for $600, put over 50,000 miles on it, only replaced the alternator and then sold it for $600. It was reliable, had a cool factor and was the start of my love of Mopars. Ahh, well ... a girl can dream, right?

After posting the blog, we decided to enjoy the good weather and do a little hiking. I put on my Hike for Mental Health bracelet, pulled the $1 a pair hiking poles we picked up at a recent thrift store stop and readied myself for a hike. Chocolate Chip looked excited and jumped up on Papa Chip and me as we pulled on our hiking shoes. She made quite the convincing plea to go with us ... so we brought her along for the short 1.6 mile walk thru the woods to a hiker shelter. We brought her leash along but let her run along with us off her leash. She instinctively followed the trail and waited up when we called to her. When we had to cross a few streams via rocks, she waited to see the best way to go and then proceeded.

When we arrived at the shelter, we met Jim, who was hiking to celebrate his 70th birthday. He's been hiking since he was a young man and as we talked, I noticed that he, too, wears Vasque boots. I asked what he thought of them and he said, "I've been wearing Vasque boots for years; won't wear anything but Vasque. I have a narrow foot and they make a boot that's perfect for me."

Jim told us that he currently lives in the Albuquerque, NM area and that during his 70th year, he's section hiking 3 major trails near to where family and friends live so he can combine visits at the same time. We shared Chipmunk's story and he said he hopes to meet her; that he admires what she's doing. For the record, Jim, we truly admire what you're doing, too!

To celebrate Jim's birthday, I gave him a Paramount Fit Foods Wild Hunt Pack! As you can tell by the smile on his face, he can hardly wait to try one of Chipmunk's favorite trail foods.

We sat and chatted with Jim, discussing all kinds of places we've all been and plan to go. It was a terrific way to take a rest before we turned around to hike the 1.6 miles back to the Chip Mobile.

While we were busy talking, Chocolate Chip found her way into the ash pit. Before we could tell her, "No!", she had rolled around in the gray and white soot. She paused to look up at us all when she realized we all stopped talking.

When I said, "Chocolate Chip! What are you doing??" She bolted from the pit, ran a circle around the shelter at top speed and then landed back in the ash pit for more rolling around.

By the time she settled down, she looked like a little old Grandmom Frenchie! She sneezed a few times but otherwise seemed quite pleased with her new suit of ash. Maybe that's why she's been bugging us to go hiking?!?!

We wished Jim well and called Chocolate Chip to resume the trail with us. We walked back along the beautiful trees, noting that the leaves on some have turned the crisp shades of autumn reds and golds.

When we reached the second stream crossing, I was caught completely off guard when I slipped on one of the round rocks and found myself flat on my back, with one leg squarely in the stream. It hurt for a few minutes but I got up pretty quickly. I hadn't broken anything so we walked on to the truck. All in all, we'd hiked a total of 3.2 miles and we both felt refreshed. Chocolate Chip seemed really happy to have hiked. Who knows? She may end up being a hiking dog, yet!

That evening, when we had settled into our camp spot for the evening, I received a few text messages from Siren. Apparently, Uke, Chipmunk and Siren all met up on the trail, went to the same hut and did "work for stay".

Does the look on Chipmunk's face say it all?? She's not very fond of doing dishes. For the record, I agreed to do all the dishes in the camper during the hike. Maybe that's why she's taking her time on this hike! Uke appears to have gotten a kick out of watching her do her least favorite task.

Since they had a little time on their hands, Uke and Chipmunk played a little Monopoly. Unfortunately, they had a few chores to do before they completed the game so they added up their cash and deed values and declared Chipmunk the winner. Chipmunk said she was channeling the character Mycroft Holmes (of Sherlock Holmes) the entire time she played.

I shared the pics with Uke's mom, letting her know that our hiker kids had made it safely up and over one of the tougher climbs of the Whites safely. According to Chipmunk, they had soup, challah bread, turkey, and some veggies. It was a rare treat that they also got to sleep in the bunks usually reserved for the paying guests. Papa Chip and I went to sleep comforted by the thought that she was out of the elements, in an enclosed building, for the night. Also, she'd get to hike out in the morning with two very good thru hikers: Siren and Uke. If you enjoy reading the story of our adventure, and you’d like to send some “Trail Magic” to Chipmunk, click on the “Donate” button at the upper right corner of today’s blog post. Chipmunk maintains a twitter account: @openlymtngoat where a common hashtag is #GoChipmunk . She (or we) will try to answer any questions you may have about her hike and this family adventure.

Thanks again for all your support,Mama Chip, Papa Chip, Chipmunk and her dog, Chocolate Chip(Tammy, Jay, Neva and Coco)

Chipmunk's Solo AT Thru Hike UpdateDay 172 on the Appalachian Trail Miles Hiked to Date: 1864 Hiked yesterday: 7 Trail Miles, Miles left to hike: 319First, to Laura P., my fellow BMX mom, Thank you, Thank you! for the great box of goodies you sent! It's soooo nice that you remembered all of us! I'll post pics of Chipmunk once she comes in and checks out her goodies!

Second, to Loretta ... I have visual verification that Siren is doing great! She and Chipmunk have gotten some hiking and stays in together. We like her! Great hiker!

After a quiet but cool night, we awoke to the sound of Mighty Uke's voice outside our camper window: "Hello? Mama Chip??" We got up and dressed; we opened the door to find Uke holding a cup of coffee and a bag from Dunkin Donuts. He handed us the bag with a Bavarian Creme donut and a Jelly donut. Yum! What a sweet treat! Thanks, Uke!

We invited him into the camper which is beginning to look like a cross between a bachelor pad and a lazy college student's dorm room. Oh well, only another month or so of this, right? We ate donuts while Uke ate a candy apple and Chocolate Chip watched each of us in hopes of a chewing misstep. Soon, our little French Press had our morning coffee ready and we relaxed and talked trail.

Suddenly, we looked up and saw that Chocolate Chip had been busy. She had Chipmunk's bunk headlamp on her head but needed one of us to turn the light on. Do you think she's trying to tell us something?? Maybe she wants to be a miner? She also brought me a map the other day and kept pawing at the lines on it. I don't know what's up with her. Oh, well. I wrote it off to "cabin fever".

After our morning "pow wow", Uke packed up his tent and pack while we secured everything in the camper. We asked Uke if he'd like to join us as we drove into town for coffee and free wifi at the local McDonald's. He said, "Sure", and threw his pack into the camper for the ride.

We piled into the front bench seat of the cab and Chocolate Chip climbed up on the top of the bench and proceeded to give Uke a good "sniffing over". She is particularly interested in ears. Luckily, I had given Uke a few Q-tips that morning and he cleaned half the Grand Canyon out of his ears!

We did our blogging at McDonald's and then ran some in town errands before we drove up to Pinkham Notch to meet Chipmunk at the end of the day. Uke met up with Whisper at McDonald's and she drove him out to pick up a new phone. Later, we all met up in the parking lot at the Visitors Center at Pinkham Notch.

While we waited, we met Heartrock and his hiking partner, Tracker, both of whom recently completed the AT and have it found it hard to hitch a ride back to home from Maine. They said that once they were in street clothes, they had trouble hitchhiking. They thought that drivers probably weren't picking them up, especially when they were farther away from the trail, because they looked homeless. Here's a pic of Heartrock with his walking sticks which are adorned with items he picked up along the trail. #LEAVE NO TRACE.

Chipmunk came in around 6 pm, well before dark, and looked pretty tired. She gave us hugs and then settled into one of the picnic tables where all of us had gathered. We chatted for a while before we all decided to head into town when Chipmunk declared she was craving Chinese food. Papa Chip had spotted a Chinese buffet in town and we all agreed that would work. So, with that, Uke jumped in the truck with Papa Chip; Chipmunk and I squeezed into Mailman's truck with Whisper (so we could do girl talk) and we all drove into town.

When we arrived at the Chinese restaurant, Whisper dropped us and said she'd meet us back there after she took care of a few errands, seeing as she'd eaten dinner already. Uke, Chipmunk, Papa Chip and I raided the buffet. During one trip to the buffet, Uke snapped this pic of Chipmunk who had gotten her fill and slumped over on the window sill.

We finished up, paid the bill and headed outside. Uke connected with Whisper and we told him we'd see him up at the Visitors Center. We drove up the mountain and found a good camp spot at the far end of the center, saved a parking spot next to us for Whisper and climbed into our bunks.

Just before Chipmunk fell asleep, she said, "I've only had about 3 hours with you guys and then I'm going back out there tomorrow." I nodded and waited to see if she'd suggest taking a zero the following day. After a while, she said, "I'm going to sleep. I love you guys." Papa Chip and I both said, "Love you, too. Good Night." And with that, we all settled into sleep; I recall Chocolate Chip snoring loudly just before I fell asleep.

If you enjoy reading the story of our adventure, and you’d like to send some “Trail Magic” to Chipmunk, click on the “Donate” button at the upper right corner of today’s blog post. Chipmunk maintains a twitter account: @openlymtngoat where a common hashtag is #GoChipmunk . She (or we) will try to answer any questions you may have about her hike and this family adventure.

Thanks again for all your support,Mama Chip, Papa Chip, Chipmunk and her dog, Chocolate Chip(Tammy, Jay, Neva and Coco)

Chipmunk's Solo AT Thru Hike UpdateDay 171 on the Appalachian Trail Miles Hiked to Date: 1857 Hiked yesterday: 7 Trail Miles, Miles left to hike: 327

First, thanks to Siren! She texted me some pics yesterday evening and I was really glad to see them. I'll share them in an upcoming blog.

Second, thanks to Jennifer P., for the link to a weight loss blog that she likes: http://www.escapefromobesity.net/ I'll check it out as I'm prepping for this new adventure. Also, please tell "Valdez": Six months on the road and NOT ONE COFFEE SPILL!

We awoke and drove to the local McDonald's for coffee and wifi. While I pecked away at the keyboard, I didn't notice that Jolly Rancher and Amazon had walked into McDonald's. I heard, "Hey, Mama Chip", looked up and was thrilled to see Jolly Rancher who I last saw in Virginia. I met Amazon for the first time but soon found out we already had a connection. He's dating Nightingale who I know well and really like. She is currently off the trail and has moved to Florida for a new work contract. Then, we learned that Papa Chip and Nightingale are also connected. Her new job is in Clearwater, where Papa Chip worked before we started this adventure. So, Nightingale ... if you have any cycling needs, stop into Chainwheel Drive Bicycles on Drew Street in Clearwater and tell them you know Jay and Chipmunk. Send our best to Joe, Peanut, Jen, Mike, Des and the rest from us!

While we were online, my phone dinged, alerting me to a text message. I was surprised to see one from Chipmunk. It included this picture, confirming that she had summited Mount Washington! Wow! She asked a tourist to take this picture and told him to please, please make sure her Vasque boots were included. She loves those boots!

She got a beautiful clear day and she texted that she could see for miles. She also texted that although she originally intended to hike all the way down the 14 miles to the next roadway to meet us ... she'd like to stay on the peak a while and enjoy the views. She suggested that she could hike to the next hut, stay there and see us a day later than planned.

Initially, I bristled at the thought of it. But then, I honestly was glad to hear that she was enjoying her accomplishment; enjoying her hike. Papa Chip and I quickly agreed via text and she confirmed that she got the message.

After posting the blog, we took care of a few errands and then late in the afternoon, we drove to a local train trestle/trail to get a little exercise. Here's a view from atop the trestle. Yep, that's the po' white trash truck camper in the parking area about dead center of the picture. I must admit ... she looks pretty good ... um ... from a distance.

While walking along the adjoining paths, I spotted this small snake just relaxing along the trail. I had no idea if he was poisonous or not so I just snapped a pic and gave him a wide swath of trail as we passed around him.

It was a sunny afternoon and we truly enjoyed the cool breeze as we walked both the upper and lower levels of the trestle path. We were joined by a few 4 wheelers, which according to the locals, have flooded the area in the last year or so.

We returned to the truck camper and my phone picked up a slight signal and started dinging like crazy. Apparently, our buddy, Uke, was in town! He was at the local library and told us to come join him. We drove there and I was glad to have more distraction as we wait out Chipmunk's overnights on the mountain.

We found Uke at the public computer there and chatted for a few minutes before the library closed at 6 pm. After that, we took a few seats outside on the library porch and called Uke's mom, Doreen. Uke's phone bit the dust so we are phone sharing whenever we are together until he resolves the issue. While there, we received a SPOT message from Chipmunk confirming she had made it to her intended hut stay. Yay! Uke said he needed a good "town" fix and suggested a trip to Mr. Pizza in town. We stashed his backpack in the camper, all hopped in the cab and drove the short distance to Mr. Pizza.

Papa Chip and I ordered their well priced burger specials and Uke ordered a Taco Salad. We talked and laughed over food ... the universal good feel activity for hikers and hiker parents alike. When we finished, the waiter asked if we'd like dessert. We declined but I could see that Uke hadn't gotten "his fill".

Thanks to LouAnne of Mr. Pizza at 160 Main Street in Gorham, NH. When I told her we were dining with Uke, one of the toughest hikers on the AT, and asked if she'd consider giving him a complimentary dessert after we all paid our bills, she was very kind. She made him a fabulous ice cream sundae to go! I didn't even steal the maraschino cherry from the top of it ... which is an amazing feat of self control on my part! (just ask any member of my family and they'll confirm; I don't think they've gotten to eat the topper off their desserts in years.)

Note to all the hikers with dogs, Mr. Pizza has an outdoor dining deck that WELCOMES dogs! Their prices were good and their food was great! Plus they offer specials, too. Thanks again, LouAnne! After dinner, we drove to our camp spot for the night and the Mighty Uke decided to "stealth camp" right behind our camper. You know the saying, "Safety in Numbers." We said Good Night to him and climbed into the camper for the night. If you enjoy reading the story of our adventure, and you’d like to send some “Trail Magic” to Chipmunk, click on the “Donate” button at the upper right corner of today’s blog post. Chipmunk maintains a twitter account: @openlymtngoat where a common hashtag is #GoChipmunk . She (or we) will try to answer any questions you may have about her hike and this family adventure.

Thanks again for all your support,Mama Chip, Papa Chip, Chipmunk and her dog, Chocolate Chip(Tammy, Jay, Neva and Coco)

Chipmunk's Solo AT Thru Hike UpdateDay 170 on the Appalachian Trail Miles Hiked to Date: 1850 Hiked yesterday: 12 Trail Miles, Miles left to hike: 334

First, I must share some somber news. A 25 year old section hiker died on Thursday, September 19th while hiking a trail in the White Mountains of New Hampshire that is NOT part of the Appalachian Trail. The Tuckerman's Ravine section of the Whites is a particularly treacherous stretch of trail near Mount Washington, according to the news article: http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/Hiker-dies-from-fall-while-descending-Mt-Washington-.html. My family and I have this hiker's family and friends in our thoughts. It is never far from our minds that although hiking is a relatively safe activity, it has its dangers. We know that the Northbound thru hikers who have made it to the White Mountains are amongst the most experienced hikers and do not take any unnecessary risks. I know I speak for a lot of hikers' family and friends when I say that we will all sleep a bit better when our hikers complete the trail.

Second, some very good news: I believe 5 year old Buddy Backpacker summited Katahdin with his dad within the last day or two. I couldn't find the summit pic on Facebook or his website, but I'm pretty sure that's the case. Congrats on a job well done! We can only imagine what's in the future for this great kid!

Third, to Heather and all the others who've said they want to join me in my weight loss quest ... welcome! Not only are we going to do this ... WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BLAST!! I can feel it already! And to those who are wondering (and asking) if this can wait until after the Thanksgiving and Christmas (eating) holidays ... If Chipmunk is still out here hiking 'til then, yes. But if Chipmunk is still hiking in New Hampshire or Maine in November and December, I may well find out if the "freezing" method of weight loss works. There's no heater in the camper ... UGH! Thankfully that Papa Chip is a portable furnace! Plus, I just scored a 12 volt blanket (on sale) for Chipmunk's bunk. Together with her comforter and down topper, she ought to stay nice and toasty.

Papa Chip and I awoke early but let Chipmunk sleep while we quietly undid all the camper hookups at the campground where we spent the night. We had about an hour's drive to the trailhead and figured Chipmunk could use all the extra rest she could get before she started hiking up to Mount Washington, New Hampshire's highest peak at 6,288 feet above sea level and also the second highest peak on the Appalachian Trail.

You may remember that the Hike for Mental Health group recently summited and descended from Mount Washington in one day. They were not on the Appalachian Trail but one of the other many New Hampshire trails that wind through the White Mountains. FYI, most thru hikers take 2-3 days to hike up and then back down Mount Washington.

We arrived at the trailhead and when we opened the back door of the camper, we found Chipmunk awake. It was about 6:30 am and we all swung into motion doing our pre-trail chores. I made Chipmunk's PB&J sandwiches, pulled her snacks. Chipmunk dressed and pulled her extra clothes for her pack. Papa Chip emptied the trash from Chipmunk's pack, re-filled her water and re-stocked her "on the go" toilet paper in plastic baggies.

It was a chilly morning so she added her knitted hat over her orange baseball cap. She stuffed her down vest in her pack and she also took her fleece sleeping bag liner, just to be on the safe side. She posed for a moment in front of this Appalachian Trail sign which not only directs hikers to the proper trail but also gives the mileage to each peak and hut. Once she reaches the hut, she will be 334 miles from Katahdin via the AT. We snapped a quick pic, hugged and kissed her good bye and reminded her to send out her SPOT OK message once she gets to the hut.

Just seconds after she stepped onto the trail and we were crossing the road back to our truck, Papa Chip yelled, "Moose!" and pointed down the road. Chipmunk turned around and joined me on the roadside to see our very first moose sighting! He stood still in the middle of the road, waiting for us to get the camera ready on my phone. Once we zoomed in and snapped a few pictures, he looked unimpressed as he walked into the woods. Chipmunk smiled and said, "I better get going, too." And with that, Chipmunk joined the other forest animals in the vast White Mountains Forest.

With Chipmunk on the trail, we headed down the road to do a little research. Our AT Guide gave coordinates for a meet up spot and we wanted to be sure we could get to it. In the AT Guide, it was denoted as parking area at the Mt. Washington Auto Road. We drove there and when we pulled into the lot, we saw that there was still 2 miles left to travel according to Evil Vengeful Rosie the GPS. I was hoping that Rosie was incorrect but found out she was not. Apparently, the Appalachian Trail crosses the Mt. Washington Auto Road about 2 miles North of the access road entrance.

We approached the "toll taker" on this privately owned road to inquire if we could drive the two short miles up to the AT crossing to retrieve our daughter when she crosses there. He said, "Sure. First, you'll have to remove your camper and then pay the toll." (I believe the toll was $26 or 28 for the vehicle and one driver and then $6 or 8 per additional rider.) Hmm. We explained that we wouldn't go all the way up, like tourists, but he kindly said that we couldn't advance any further without removing the camper and paying the toll.

We thanked him and turned around and parked in a nearby lot to discuss options. Considering we'd have to do this twice, once to pick her up and once to return her to the trail at that location, we decided to put Plan B into motion. Chipmunk would have to hike an additional 2 miles past the original meet up spot and into the Visitors Center which does not charge for access. Removing the camper and leaving it in a secure place is a battle all in itself, mostly because the camper is such a big part of our day to day life out here; it's our home away from home. We texted Chipmunk the update and waited for a response, knowing it may be a while since she only turns her phone on to reach us or take a picture.

FYI, I don't like when access to a "natural wonder" is privately owned; especially when access to it is priced in a way that would not give ready access to most any American family (and foreign visitors, as well). I am a National Park pass holder and believe that their rates are affordable for the most part. I know that many families visit parks because not only is it a wonderful family experience but because it's typically more affordable than most vacation options. Oh, yeah ... I also hate Beach Badges! I don't mind paying for amusement park tickets since the private owner typically buys or leases the land, the equipment, etc. Enough about that.

We drove to the Visitor Center and I asked the attendant at the front desk if I could get some information about the AMC operated huts. She said, "Sure." I asked if there was an age limit for the "work for stay" program. She said, "No. There's no age limit." I told her that my daughter was turned away; told that she was too young. The attendant said, "Well, how old is she?" I said, "Fifteen." She said, "Oh, well she's too young." I blinked a few times and then said, "I don't understand. I just asked if there was an age limit and you said there wasn't. Now you're saying there is. I truly don't get it." She then said, "Well, I'm sure it's governed by the department of health and you have to be 18 to work there."

I took a deep breath and calmly said, "I'd like to speak with someone who oversees the hut staff." She thought for a moment and then said, "Hold on." She walked away, made a phone call and said, "He'll be right down." Shortly, a gentleman walked up and introduced himself: "I'm James Wrigley. I understand you had some questions about the AMC huts work for stay program." I nodded and he said, "You're daughter's a thru hiker and she's how old?" I said, "Fifteen" and before I continued, I asked if we could meet privately about this. I didn't want to discuss location details about Chipmunk's hike amongst the strangers who were circulating about the Visitor Center. He invited us upstairs to his office.

We took seats and I explained our story and asked him if there was an age limit for doing the work for stay program. He said, "No, there isn't." He apologized for the misinformation and said that he'd contact the AMC hut staff and clear that up for the future. In fact, he said, he'd contact the huts she was heading to and make them aware in advance that she wanted to do work for stay. Then, he gave me his email address and phone number to reach him if there was a problem in the future. I took it and gave him a business card with our number and website address on it, too. He said he was looking forward to checking out our story. Papa Chip and I shook hands with him and thanked him for his help.

We went downstairs and discovered a hiker lounge, showers and bathrooms. The showers are coin operated and give you 3 minutes for the first dollar in quarters and then 45 seconds for each additional quarter. The desk attendant said that for about $3-4, you can get a decent shower. Since we are used to a 5-10 minute shower for 1-2 quarters ... $10-12 for our family to get showers didn't sound attractive. Sooooo ... we rolled on a little extra deodorant and figured we'd invest our $12 into another upcoming $15 stay at the campground where we'll be able to dump tanks, plug into electric, re-fill water, do laundry and get showers all in the same place.

The Visitors Center also has dormitory style housing on site and lots of parking. It's a rather popular start point for hikes in the White Mountains. We checked out the trailhead maps outside before we headed into the town of Gorham.

It was a beautiful sunny day. We stopped to check out some old railroad cars that are part of a new museum under development in Gorham. It was a good way to while away some time and keep our minds busy while Chipmunk was away from us.

We stopped at the local library to get online and I liked the message on this jar. It made me feel like I was in a place with some good common sense folks. We spoke with the librarian there and she was very friendly. We exchanged hiker stories with her and found out that she has hosted a few hikers in her home for dinner. We told her how much we know hikers love a good home cooked meal.

She told us that many a hiker comes into the library to use the internet and find out where everything they need is located in town. She said that some of them are a bit "stronger smelling" than others but she understands why. She said she just keeps Febreze on hand.

While we were there, we checked out Chipmunk's location and could see she was closing in on her camp spot for the night: Lakes of the Clouds Hut. Here's a pic I found online of the actual hut. Look at those views! I think it's aptly named, too.

Just before we left the library, we received Chipmunk's "OK" message via her SPOT device, letting us know she had arrived at the hut and all was well. We crossed our fingers that they'd allow her to do work for stay. If she's able to do so, it will definitely help us as we budget for both this last month on the trail and the trip all the way back to Florida.

After we left the library, we drove past a truck camper that was for sale at a dealer's lot. Although we have no intention of purchasing a different camper any time soon, we are always curious about RV layouts, etc. Also, much to my surprise, the truck camper offers a lot for its compact size. I am surprised that we have managed as well as we have in this space. We checked it out and found some interesting design items that we liked: higher counter tops, a bathroom and toilet in which you don't have your knees right under your chin when using, and some smart storage in the bunk over the cab.

My phone rang and it was Chipmunk. She told us that she had arrived at the hut and that they were already aware she was coming. They readily gave her the work for stay and she said that the staff was really nice. She had to scrub the black off some old pots, which she said she did for about an hour. She told us that she had amazing views most of the day and was really looking forward to summiting Mount Washington the next day. I was so relieved to hear her voice and know that she was safely indoors for the night. Although it's been sunny during the day, the temps do drop down into the low 40's at night in town and the mid to low 30's up on the mountains.

After the phone call, we wandered back to Walmart and rented a movie at the Redbox kiosk. We prepared a simple dinner, using up the last of our almost still frozen chicken patties. Around 7 pm, we crawled into our bunks and put "Cloud Atlas" on the DVD player of the laptop. We started watching it and almost immediately I started nodding off. For that reason, I can't really tell you if it was a good movie or not. I left my phone on but had only intermittent service. Every time it dinged, whistled or rang, I checked it, just in case it was an emergency. Eventually, I fell asleep and so did Papa Chip.

If you enjoy reading the story of our adventure, and you’d like to send some “Trail Magic” to Chipmunk, click on the “Donate” button at the upper right corner of today’s blog post. Chipmunk maintains a twitter account: @openlymtngoat where a common hashtag is #GoChipmunk . She (or we) will try to answer any questions you may have about her hike and this family adventure.

Thanks again for all your support,Mama Chip, Papa Chip, Chipmunk and her dog, Chocolate Chip(Tammy, Jay, Neva and Coco)